Scottish Executive

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome have entered further education since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) further education establishment.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder have entered further education since 1999, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) further education establishment.

Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects specifically designed for those diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome have been set up to ensure a smooth transition from school to further education in light of the Beattie Committee report, Implementing Inclusiveness Realising Potential , broken down by (a) local authority and (b) duration of funding and giving the names of any such projects.

Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-21819 on 28 January 2002 and S1W-21136 on 10 January 2002.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to initiatives to reduce drug taking and alcohol abuse in the Forth Valley NHS Board area.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Funding support for local initiatives to reduce alcohol problems cannot be identified separately. NHS boards and local authorities fund such work from within their general health allocations and Grant Aided Expenditure respectively.

  The Forth Valley NHS Board area has benefited significantly from additional resources allocated by the Scottish Executive to tackle drug misuse for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04. This includes an additional £0.89 million in drug treatment funding to the NHS board, over £1.1 million to the three local authorities (Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire) for drugs rehabilitation and over £0.83 million to the three local authorities through the Changing Children's Services Fund for work with young people and families. Funding is used not only for drugs specific work, but also for prevention, treatment and care services covering all forms of substance misuse.

  The Executive provides the multi-agency Forth Valley Substance Action Team with over £161,000 support funding. This supports the strategic and co-ordinating function of the team on all substance misuse issues. In particular it includes assessment of local needs and drawing up a local strategy to address alcohol problems, in response to the national Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems, launched earlier this year.

Employment

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to employers such as Argos plc to encourage them to protect the equal opportunities of employees and to ensure that there is no adverse impact on its social justice policies through an employer's requirement that staff work on Sundays.

Iain Gray: Responsibility for employment and industrial relations, including employment rights, is reserved to the UK Government.

  The Department of Trade and Industry advises that whether an employee in Scotland is required to work on Sundays is a contractual matter for negotiation and agreement between the employer and employee, or the employee's representatives.

  If employees in Scotland are required to work on Sundays against their will, or are dismissed for refusing, they may be able to seek redress under common law or unfair dismissal legislation.

Family Law

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish its proposals following its consultation paper Parents and Children - The Scottish Executive's proposals for improving Scottish Family Law .

Mr Jim Wallace: As the First Minister said in his statement of 30 May on the Executive's programme, we intend to publish our draft Family Law Bill when the policy and legislative implications of the current adoption review have become clear and our approach to these areas is fully co-ordinated.

Family Mediation

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available from (a) its Justice Department and (b) other public funding sources to maintain the work of Family Mediation Grampian in Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Banff and to expand this service elsewhere in the north of Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: Under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, my department is providing in the current year a revenue grant of £45,778 to support the work of Family Mediation Grampian, as part of our total package of support for mediation services across Scotland. Local authorities may also provide funding for local services, as may private funders. It is for the organisation to set its business targets in light of available resources.

Genetically Modified Crops

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether farms in Clackmannanshire, Fife or Stirling are being considered for GM crop trials.

Ross Finnie: On 8 July 2002 the Scottish Executive announced that it had been notified of two proposed sites which will be considered for inclusion in the forthcoming final round of the GM farm scale evaluations. One proposed site is in Fife, the other is in Aberdeenshire. There are no proposed sites in Stirling or Clackmannanshire. Ministers will take advice before deciding on whether planting may proceed at the proposed sites.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to address any gap between the funding it provides to local authorities to deal with their new responsibilities for homelessness under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and the actual funding which local authorities may require in order to implement these new responsibilities.

Ms Margaret Curran: We have made £11 million available over the next two financial years to support recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force - this is in addition to the £27 million provided specifically to contribute to the cost of implementing the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. Local authorities' homelessness strategies will provide the framework for ensuring that these resources are used in the most effective manner.

  The case for further resources is being considered as part of the current spending review. In addition, in delivering the recommendations of the report, local authorities and others will be expected to deploy existing resources more efficiently and effectively.

  A monitoring group has been established to oversee the implementation of all of the recommendations of the task force, including those effected by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2002.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a new code of guidance dealing with homelessness will be published in respect of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and, if so, when any such guidance will be published.

Ms Margaret Curran: An updated Code of Guidance on Homelessness was published in 1998. It now requires further updating to reflect various changes both in legislation and good practice, including changes arising from the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. Work to produce a fully updated code will begin later this year and will be completed following the passage of the forthcoming Homelessness Bill. Publication, following consultation, is expected by the end of 2003. If there is a need for any interim guidance to be issued on an earlier timescale then this will be prepared in consultation with the Homelessness Monitoring Group which has been established to oversee implementation of the recommendations of the Homelessness Task Force.

NHS Trusts

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken in order to ensure that Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines are adhered to in all NHS trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: Under clinical governance NHSScotland is expected to implement evidence-based guidance from bodies such as Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). SIGN Guidelines are an integral part of the development of condition-specific standards by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland. The board's assessment visits to check compliance with these standards and its clinical governance or "generic" standards will ensure that procedures are in place to implement SIGN and other relevant evidence-based guidance.

NHS Trusts

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the lack of plans designed in most trusts to address the full implications of healthcare associated infections (HAI) as referred to in the interim report of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland on HAI and infection control standards.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have made clear to NHS Chairs that action must be taken to address this issue. NHS Chief Executives have received the same message from the Head of the Health Department. The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) is currently visiting individual NHS trusts to confirm its assessment of performance against the standard, including planning arrangements.

  Following up the CSBS interim report was discussed at the recent HAI convention. A detailed action plan based on that discussion will be issued later this year. When the CSBS has completed its detailed assessment of individual trust's performance further action appropriate to local circumstances will be agreed.

Prison Service

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have suffered (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal overdoses from illegal opiates whilst receiving legal opiates in prison in each year from 1997-98 to the present date, broken down by prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  (a) None.

  (b) The information requested is not available.

Prison Service

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Prison Service spent on (a) heroin substitutes and (b) heroin blockers in (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99, (iii) 1999-2000, (iv) 2000-01 and (v) 2001-02.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Figures are available only for 2000-01 and 2001-02. These are shown in the table:

  


 


2000-01


2001-02




(a)


£13,324


£49,009




(b)


£3,955


£3,567

Public Transport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers and obligations local authorities have under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 in respect of buses and relations with bus operators.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a regime to re-regulate the bus industry.

Lewis Macdonald: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 provides enabling powers for local transport authorities to make Quality Partnership schemes and, with the approval of Scottish ministers, Quality Contract schemes. The 2001 act also places a duty on local transport authorities to determine from time to time what ticketing arrangements and information on bus services should be made available.

Public Transport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by local authorities in establishing quality partnership and quality contract schemes with bus operators under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001.

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have established quality partnership schemes with bus operators.

Lewis Macdonald: The development of Quality Partnership schemes under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 is a matter for individual local transport authorities. The Executive is not aware of any such schemes being introduced to date, nor has the necessary approval been sought from ministers for the making of any Quality Contract Schemes.

Road Accidents

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred in Hamilton in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. The Executive's statistical database can provide figures on the number of injury accidents by police force area, by local authority area and for specified lengths of individual roads but is not designed to provide statistics for particular towns or villages.

Smoking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the children to be used in the pilot scheme to catch shopkeepers who sell cigarettes to under age children are being recruited.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Children will be recruited from local high schools nominated by Directors of Education of participating local authorities. Parental consent will be required for all children who participate in the pilot scheme. Detailed protocols are being drawn up to ensure the safety of the children and help ensure that evidence is gathered in such a way as to avoid the necessity of children giving evidence in court.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25808 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 June 2002, how many Joint Ministerial Meetings on social work and social services there have been and what issues were discussed.

Cathy Jamieson: There has been one Joint Ministerial Meeting. At that meeting Ministers agreed the content of the Action Plan and the priorities for the new Director for Co-ordinating Social Services Policy. The next meeting will be held later this year.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25808 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 June 2002, why the membership of the Joint Ministerial Meetings on social work and social services does not include some advisers working in the field.

Cathy Jamieson: The Joint Ministerial Meetings are meetings of ministers, with Scottish Executive officials in attendance. Ministers also regularly meet with advisers and organisations in the field.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce, what progress has been made under each of the 12 identified items.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-27467 and S1W-27469 to S1W-27487, all of which describe the progress made against specific items in the Action Plan. Work is progressing as quickly as possibly and I am confident that there will be continuing progress on all aspects of the Action Plan before the end of this year.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 1 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , what the details are of the initial plans for the awareness and career recruitment campaign, and whether these were approved by a Joint Ministerial Meeting within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The national campaign aims to raise the profile and the value of the social care field, to address immediate issues of staff recruitment and retention and to make a career in social care more attractive. A campaign steering group with representation from local authorities, voluntary and private employers, professional associations, trainers, Careers Scotland and the Scottish Social Services Council is established. The group has advised the Executive on the shape and design of the campaign and will help determine how best to implement the campaign across Scotland taking account of local needs. The details of the campaign are now being determined. It is planned the campaign will launch in October with a possible reprise early in the New Year.

  The initial plans have been approved by ministers within the nine-week timescale.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 2 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will outline details of the progress report on the workforce action plan, and whether the next steps were approved by a Joint Ministerial Meeting within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: I have had oral reports from officials and have approved the current course of action. The next joint meeting of ministers will take place later this year. I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-27467 to S1W-27469 and S1W-27471 to S1W-27487, which contain my detailed comments on progress to date.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 3 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will outline details of the membership and workplan on workforce and recruitment, and whether these were agreed by a Joint Ministerial Meeting within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: Ministers have instructed the Social Work Services Inspectorate to consult with the sector to determine the way forward in the context of the development of Sector Skills Councils. Consultations with the Scottish Social Services Council are currently on-going. A seminar to consider the boundaries of a Sector Skills Council that covers social care activity in Scotland is to be held later this year.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 3 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will outline details of the membership of the project group on professional and vocational education reforms and the workplan, and whether the workplan was agreed by a Joint Ministerial Meeting within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The membership of the project group on professional and vocational education reforms is as follows:

  


Sandy Cameron


Association of Directors of Social Work




Bryan Healy


Attain




Christine Humphries


Scottish Consumer Council




Gordon Jeyes


Association of Directors of Education Scotland




Pauline Miller


Scottish Executive, Secretariat




Robert McClure


Scottish Higher Education Funding Council




Colin Mackenzie


Convention of Scottish Local Authorities




Kirstie Maclean


Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care




Angela O'Hagan


Carers Scotland




Gillian Ottley


Scottish Executive, Chair




Chris Robinson


The Open University in Scotland




Ruth Stark


British Association of Social Workers




Carol Watson


NHS Education for Scotland




Carole Wilkinson


Scottish Social Services Council




Bryan Williams


Joint Universities Council/Social Work Education Committee 
  (Scotland) and Association of Professors of Social Work 
  (Scotland)




  Ministers will review progress against the Action Plan at the next joint ministerial meeting later this year.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 3 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether the Joint Ministerial Meetings are considering a social work qualification without a practice placement as an integral part of the training.

Cathy Jamieson: The role of practice placements within the new degree course is currently being considered by the project groups who are examining the detailed elements of the degree course. Both groups are of the view that supervised practice placements are an essential element of the new degree, but they are also examining the additional contribution that might be played by other types of practice learning.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 3 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , what the timescale is for agreeing the content and arrangements for the proposed new social work qualifications in order to ensure introduction of the new degree in 2004.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked the project groups to report to me by December 2002.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 4 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , what the priorities are for attention by the new Director for Co-ordinating Social Services Policy and Performance, and whether these were agreed by a Joint Ministerial Meeting within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The priorities for the new Director, agreed by the Joint Ministerial Meeting, are:

  a. future workforce planning and staff recruitment and training, and

  b. performance reporting on social work services.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 5 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , how local authorities are utilising the £3.5 million additional funding for local authority social services staff training, and whether the decisions on this were made within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons were for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities were asked to advise the Executive of their plans for the additional £3.5 million by 26 July 2002.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 5 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it is intended that the voluntary sector should benefit from the £3.5 million additional funding for social services staff training.

Cathy Jamieson: It is intended that the voluntary sector should benefit from the additional £3.5 million. Local authorities were asked to advise the Executive by 26 July of their plans for expenditure. They were asked to set out in their responses how they will involve independent providers (voluntary and private).

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 6 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will provide the Association of Directors of Social Work's action plan for promoting employer investment in better support for front-line staff, and whether this plan was prepared within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: I await proposals from the Association of Directors of Social Work which will enable me to release the funds set aside for this work.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 7 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , what the membership and remit of the Scottish Leadership Foundation are.

Cathy Jamieson: The remit of the Scottish Leadership Foundation is to raise the quality of public service leadership. The current membership is:

  Aberdeen City Council

  ACOSVO

  Angus College

  Arts and Business

  Association of Scottish Colleges

  Audit Scotland

  Communities Scotland

  Crofters Commission

  Cumbernauld Housing

  Clackmannanshire Council

  Elearning alliance

  Employers Voluntary Housing

  Food Standards Agency

  Gorbals Initiative

  Grampian Fire Brigade

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Langside College

  Marie Curie Cancer Care

  NHS Scotland

  Registers of Scotland

  Scottish Children's Reporter

  Scottish Council Foundation

  Scottish Court Service

  SCONTO

  Scottish Enterprise Network

  Scottish Executive

  Scottish Further Education Unit

  Scottish Natural Heritage

  Scottish Parliament

  Scottish Police Service

  Scottish Prison Service

  Scottish Qualifications Authority

  South Lanarkshire Council

  Strathclyde Fire Brigade

  Volunteer Development Scotland

  West Lothian Council.

  There are also a number of people who have joined the foundation as individual members.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 7 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will provide details of the analysis of future needs for training in leadership and management, and whether the first report will be published in July as specified and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: I can confirm that my officials have met with the Scottish Leadership Foundation and are currently considering a proposal from them to take this work forward. The Action Plan did not stipulate a date for publication of the analysis of future needs for training in leadership and management and no decision has yet been made about this.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to item 8 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , who is conducting the economic study of the labour market of children's services in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: Following a formal tendering process, the contract was awarded to DTZ Pieda Consulting.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 8 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will provide details of the scoping study of the labour market of children's services in Scotland, and whether the first report will be published in July as specified and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive received the draft report from DTZ Pieda Consulting on 12 July 2002 and this is currently being considered by the steering group. Further work is required by the contractors. The Action Plan did not stipulate a date for publication and no decision has yet been made about this.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 9 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will provide details of the Integrated Human Resources working group report, and whether this was published within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The Integrated Human Resources Working Group Report was published on 24 May 2002, well within the specified timescale. The report is available on the Scottish Executive website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/05/SEhd063.aspx . The report was also placed on the COSLA, CCPS and RCN websites.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 10 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether meeting and planning got underway with the WEA programme co-ordinator on Return to Learn courses for social care workers in local authorities and whether this work was undertaken within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: I can confirm that three meetings have taken place between Unison, WEA and my officials, most recently on 18 June and that the first Return to Learn programme will have started by October. I will formally launch this initiative on 12 September.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 11 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will provide details of the survey of improving access arrangements to professional training and whether the survey commenced within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: As a first step we have provided an additional £400,000 for bursaries for postgraduate students. This was achieved within the nine-week timescale. We are currently considering what further steps might be taken to improve access arrangements to professional training. We will expect to announce further measures within the next nine months.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 12 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether it will provide details of the statements provided by all centres on their best role in 2005 and how they are preparing for that, and whether this work was undertaken within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has met regularly with the centres and discussed their contribution to the Action Plan. The centres have been asked to provide a statement describing how they see the role of their individual initiative developing over the next three years and how the centres might work together to ensure they are co-ordinated, integrate with the requirements for SVQ, Continuous Professional Development and other frameworks, ensuring that the overall strategic objectives of the Action Plan are met.

  Responses are due by 16 August 2002. These responses will form the basis for a wider consultation on an integrated development programme for the specific centres.

Social Work

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 12 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce , whether Joint Ministerial Meetings will recommend a generic or specialist training for social workers.

Cathy Jamieson: In introducing the Action Plan to Parliament on 18 April, I made clear that there would be a generic core to the new honours degree for social workers. The project group are currently considering the balance between generic and care group specific competencies in the degree and proposals will be put to ministers in due course.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will report to (a) the Parliament and (b) the public on the First Minister's visit to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is considering possible options for reporting on the First Minister's attendance at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development, and will ensure that both the Parliament and the public are informed in the most appropriate way.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the First Minister will report on Scotland's progress on sustainable development since the Earth Summit in 1992 to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what report the First Minister will make to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development on Scotland's progress in respect of (a) the International Climate Change Convention, (b) the Convention on Biological Diversity, (c) the Statement of Forest Principles and (d) Local Agenda 21.

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any formal submission to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development and, if so, when such a submission will be published.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive makes representations to the United Nations through the UK Government. The Executive has prepared a report describing the work in Scotland on sustainable development since the Rio Summit in 1992 and the main points made in the stakeholder consultation undertaken last year. I have sent this to the UK Government to feed into reports they may make to the United Nations. Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 22146) and on the Executive website.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any delegation representing civic society in Scotland will attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive believes that civic society has an important role to play in furthering sustainable development in Scotland. A delegation representing civic society in Scotland will attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and will consist of:

  


Name


Organisation


Sector




Kevin Dunion


Friends of the Earth Scotland


Environmental NGOs




Belinda Miller


Aberdeen City Council


Local authorities




Ian Russell


Scottish Power


Business




Stephanie Wiseman


Lunnasting Primary School, Shetland


Young people




Damien Killeen


The Poverty Alliance


Social justice NGOs




Donald Bruce


Action of Churches Together in Scotland


Bodies involved in overseas development work




  Delegates were chosen in a variety of ways to achieve a balance of established leaders and fresh faces with particular commitment and dynamism. The civic delegation will make their own arrangements regarding travel, accommodation and programme for the Summit. The Executive has offered to pay the travel, accommodation and subsistence costs of four of the members of the civic delegation, and it is estimated that this will cost £7,000 in total.

  Each member will arrange their own programme to gain the greatest benefit possible from the Summit for their sector. Therefore the role of individual members will vary, but in general the delegation will raise awareness in their sector about the Summit and the issues it seeks to address, attend the events at the Summit most relevant to their particular sector, and be available to advise the First Minister and the Executive at the Summit. Most importantly these civic delegates will act as catalysts for concrete action to further sustainable development in their sector on their return.

  By supporting the civic delegation in this way, we believe that the Executive can help civic society in Scotland play their full part in building a Sustainable Scotland.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive of whom the Scottish delegation to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development will be composed; on what criteria the delegates were chosen, and, for any civil servants involved, what the grade and department is of each delegate.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive delegation will consist of the First Minister and three officials. The First Minister chose to attend personally to represent Scotland at the highest possible level and to show the importance that the Executive places on sustainable development. The officials chosen to support the First Minister are the Principal Private Secretary to the First Minister, a Special Adviser and the Head of Environment Group.

  A Scottish civic delegation will also attend the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development. Details of this civic delegation are given in the answer to question S1W-27506.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what preparatory work it has carried out or commissioned in respect of the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: Much of the preparatory work, which included two comprehensive public consultations, is described in a report which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 22146).

  In addition to the work summarised in that report, we have outlined our vision for a Sustainable Scotland and indicators to measure progress towards that vision in Meeting the Needs… which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20879).

  In preparation for the Summit we are sharing our work with others - the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development spoke to the Stakeholder Forum conference on the World Summit on Sustainable Development on 16 July, 2002 in Birmingham. We have also brought together business, unions, public sector, voluntary organisations and interested members of the public for the first Scottish Sustainable Development Forum to discuss how we can take sustainable development forward in Scotland.

  We are also helping the young people's civic delegate, Stephanie Wiseman, to collect views about the Summit and sustainable development in preparation for the Summit.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its objectives are with regard to its attendance at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive's objectives in attending the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development are:

  to show that Scotland takes sustainable development seriously. Whilst the focus of the summit is the sustainable development of poorer countries, this means that developed countries must set their house in order too. Sustainable development is a devolved issue and we shall not shirk from our responsibility to the planet;

  to show that sustainable development matters to the people of Scotland. We have listened to what ordinary Scots have to say and will represent these views in Johannesburg, and

  to inform our actions. The Scottish Executive and civic Scotland will act to ensure that sustainable development here reflects the decisions and discussions in Johannesburg.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) EU bodies regarding its objectives for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive makes representations to EU bodies through the UK government, ensuring that the UK line takes full account of the Scottish position. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish delegation to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development will be (a) travelling to and (b) accommodated in Johannesburg.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive delegation will take a scheduled flight to Johannesburg for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

  The Scottish Executive delegation will stay in hotel rooms allocated to the UK delegation.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish delegation at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development will pursue its own objectives separately or act as part of the UK delegation.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive delegation is part of the official UK delegation and the Scottish Executive will fully support the work of the UK delegation. However, the programme for the Scottish delegation will be based on the objectives outlined in the response to question S1W-27587, and the principles and priorities set out in our vision of a sustainable Scotland, Meeting the Needs… , which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20879).

  The response to question S1W-27506 explains that members of the civic delegation will pursue independent programmes.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total estimated cost will be of the attendance of the Scottish delegation at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development and, in particular, whether it will give the costs of (a) accommodation, (b) travel from accommodation to the summit, (c) travel to South Africa, (d) accreditation, (e) subsistence, (f) entertainment and (g) other items.

Ross Finnie: The answer to question S1W-27593 explains that the programme for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development has not yet been finalised. Therefore we cannot estimate costs for some of the categories requested. The costs we can estimate at present for the Scottish Executive delegation total is £10,420. This comprises:

  accommodation per delegate: 10,550 Rand (approximately £675)

  total accommodation costs: 42,200 Rand (approximately £2,700)

  All hotel rooms must be booked through the Johannesburg World Summit Company (JOWSCO), a non-profit company wholly owned by the South African government. JOWSCO have imposed a 10-day minimum charge for each room for the duration of the Summit, so the high charge is unavoidable.

  JOWSCO will charge approximately £40 per person to provide shuttles for travel from accommodation to summit venues for delegates.

  total cost: £160

  return flights to Johannesburg per delegate including tax: £1,890

  total cost: £7,560

  Accreditation to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development is free.

  The cost of supporting the Scottish civic delegation is outlined in the answer to

  question S1W-27506.

  A Scottish Executive official was part of the UK preparatory visit at the end of July in order to organise the programme for the Scottish delegation. This is estimated to have cost £2,100.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have been arranged for the Scottish delegation and individual members of the delegation during its stay in South Africa for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: The programme for the Scottish Executive delegation is not yet finalised as the full programme for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development has not been announced.

  The response to question S1W-27506 explains that the civic delegates will organise their own programmes.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what preparatory meetings for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development it has attended; on what dates it attended any such meetings; of whom its delegation to such meetings was composed; on what criteria delegates were chosen, and, for any civil servants involved, what each delegate's grade and department was.

Ross Finnie: No Minister or official has attended a preparatory committee meeting for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

  Kevin Dunion of Friends of the Earth Scotland attended the third preparatory committee in New York as a representative of the Scottish Executive from 28 March to 3 April. He is an external member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Sustainable Scotland and a member of the civic delegation for the Summit. Mr Dunion had already arranged to attend as an NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) and by attending as the Scottish Executive representative on the UK delegation he was able to report the proceedings to the Executive. The Scottish Executive did not bear any costs of Mr Dunion's attendance.

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to modify its sustainable development policies in the light of the conclusions of the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: We are attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development to share experience and expertise on sustainable development, and intend to learn from the experience of others across the globe.

  We will consider any implications of the outcomes of the Summit for our sustainable development policies, as stated in paragraph 43 of Meeting the Needs…, which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20879).

Sustainable Development

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to Scottish Environment Link's 10 point action plan in its steering group's review on the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Ross Finnie: The Executive does not plan a specific response to the 10 point action plan published by Link's steering group on the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Work is already progressing. Many of these action points and these areas are covered by other reports already published by the Executive, for example through Meeting the Needs and Scotland's Renewable Energy Potential-Beyond 2010 and through the establishment of the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum, which had its first meeting in Dundee on 24 July.

Traffic

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it offers (a) police forces and (b) local authorities any guidance on the administration and implementation of traffic orders.

Lewis Macdonald: Guidance on the procedures for making Traffic Regulation Orders was issued to local authorities and police forces on 4 March 1999. This guidance supplements the Local Authorities' Traffic Order (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, which came into force on 1 April 1999.

Traffic

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers Strathclyde police force employs specifically to deal with traffic issues, broken down by division.

Lewis Macdonald: Information of this nature is an operational matter for the Chief Constable and not held centrally.

Traffic

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has evaluated the effectiveness of traffic orders and whether it has any plans to review the current position.

Lewis Macdonald: The making and subsequent evaluation of the effectiveness of Traffic Regulation Orders is a matter for the roads authority which promoted them. There are no plans at present to carry out any review.